Burrito-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes {The First Mess}

Today, is a fabulous day! Not only is it Taco Tuesday, but it is also the release date for Laura Wright’s, The First Mess Cookbook! This is super exciting because Laura runs the blog The First Mess, and has been sharing gorgeous recipes and photos since 2011. We started blogging around the same time and I have followed her posts for quite a while. I love reading about her adventures in gardening and gazing at the vibrant dishes she creates. Speaking of vibrant dishes, I’m sharing her recipe for Burrito-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes and Rustic Salsa with you, and hosting a giveaway!

Yes, I know that I mentioned Taco Tuesday, but a burrito is kind of like a taco’s cousin, twice-removed, so it seems appropriate enough to share this recipe. Plus, how can you resist a dish with the name Burrito-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes? You can’t! Baked sweet potatoes, stuffed with seasoned black beans and rice, homemade Rustic Salsa, a simple guacamole and crunchy cabbage are what make up this tasty meal.

Along with this recipe, are many others, as can be expected from a cookbook with nearly 300 pages! Laura opens the book with a chapter on what you need as staples for a healthy, vegan pantry; and what tools will be immensely helpful. The rest of the book is broken up into your somewhat standard dish categories, like “Mornings and Breakfasts”, “Hearty Mains and Big Plates” (where the Burrito-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes reside), “Energizing Drinks and Small Bites”, and more.

As I said before, the photographs in The First Mess Cookbook are stunning in the typical style of Laura; high-contrast with a good mixture of color and a feeling of comfort. It’s honestly super hard to look through this book in one go without drooling. If the mix of beautiful food and delectable eats doesn’t get you motivated to hop in the kitchen and get to cooking, I’m not sure that I can help you.

For serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking dish with parchment paper.

Place the sweet potatoes in the baking dish, and prick each one a couple of times with a fork. Slide the sweet potatoes into the oven and bake until very tender, about 45 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, combine the basmati rice, black beans, cumin, garlic, olive oil, tomato paste, and salt. Pour 1¼ cups (300 mL) water into the pot. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Lower the heat to a simmer, and cook until all of the liquid is absorbed, about 40 minutes. Keep the rice warm.

Make the Rustic Salsa: In a medium bowl, combine the bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, red onions, lime juice, cilantro, and olive oil. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Set aside.

Make the guacamole: Peel the avocado and extract the pit. Place the avocado flesh in a medium bowl and mash with a fork. Once you’ve broken it up a bit, add the garlic, lime juice, cilantro, and salt. Mash the avocado until the seasoning is evenly distributed and you have a chunky paste. Set aside.

Place each baked sweet potato in a shallow bowl. Cut along the top of the sweet potato and pull back the skin. Split the sweet potatoes a little bit to make room for the fillings.

Divide the rice and bean mixture among the sweet potatoes. Top each bowl with ¼ of the Rustic Salsa. Finish each plate with a dollop of the guacamole and some shredded cabbage on top. Serve with hot sauce on the side if you like

These days, I’m a sucker for beautiful food photography. It makes me want to experiment more in the kitchen. Even my omnivore husband recently remarked that since I’ve gone vegan, we are eating a far bigger variety of foods (and better, too – his words!) than before. Clearly, this book would help along!

What most appeals to me about this cookbook (besides the beautiful photographs of the food) is that despite the appealing presentation of the dishes, Laura’s recipes are really very accessible. I can make them on weeknights.

First of all, thank you so much for this awesome opportunity (already keeping my fingers and toes crossed)! Now, as far as what I find most appealing about the book goes, I have to admit that it’s really whole package that I love. I mean, since I’m obsessed with the topic of food; am a huge fan of beautiful photography; adore books; AND love how varied, versatile and creative the recipes on Laura’s blog are, while at the same time being not too „fussy“, if you may, and full of Good Stuff (that is, plant nutrition), the book really just ticks all the boxes, and appeals to me in every which way 🙂

I love that this cookbook finds ways to elevate plant based dishes and make them seem more gourmet! Every recipe I have seen thus far I could totally convince my omnivore friends to eat- and the photography is divine!

What appeals to me about the book is that I’m sure it’s just as good as Laura’s blog. When I first discovered her, I went through every recipe and bookmarked the majority. Would love to get my hands on that beauty of a book!

What an inspirational book to have by your side in the kitchen on those days when the inspiration just isn’t coming from within. The photos and the whole foods recipes will definitely leave my eyes, tastebuds, and tummy feeling satisfied.

Vegan Yack Attack!

Welcome to this vegan food blog, run by Jackie Sobon, which covers everything from indulgent desserts, to healthy dinners, and even raw recipes! I also write up restaurant reviews and am sort of a beer snob. You'll find that there is something for everyone, here!

To contact me about photography jobs, recipe or menu development, or general questions, send an email to: veganyackattack@gmail.com!

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